Closure



C. R. CRARY June 3, 1930.

CLOSURE Filed Feb. 16, 1928 wvemto'o C'ecZ'Z R. Cra

Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED. STATES PATENT; oFFIcs CECIL n. canny, ornn'rnorr, mronrem CLOSURE Application filed February 16, 1928. SerialNo. 254,844.

ing the construction of the several parts 1nvolved and by reducing thenumber of such parts to a minimum.

The invention provides for simplifying the method of manufacture andcheapening the cost of production by introducing a construction whereinthe closure is hingedly attached to the container and wherein the partsof the hinge not only serve to hingedly attach the closure to thecontainer but also co-act with the closure to subject the same to asealing pressure upon the container. 9

Another novel feature of construction of this invention whichcontributes materially to the reduction in cost of manufacture, is theprovision of a member carried directly by the closure and havingintegral projections, one of which constituting a bafile for the usual-vent opening in the closure and another performing the dual function ofhingedly connecting the closure to the container and cooperating withthe latter to subject the closure to a sealing pressure upon thecontainer.

Further objects and advantages of the inv vention reside in the noveldetails of construction, all of which will be made more apparent as thisdescription proceeds, especially when considered in connection with theaccompanyin% drawing wherein: igure 1 is a perspective view of acontainer having my improved closure attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the closure; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the closure in closed position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showin a slightly modified formof construction; igure 5 is a sectional elevation of the constructionshown in Figure 4, showing the closure in open position,

While it will be a parent as this descrip tion proceeds that t e presentinvention is capable of numerous and diversified uses, nevertheless, forthe pur ose, of illustration I have herein illustrate this invention asused in connection with a fuel tank for motor a driven vehicles. In thisconnection I have illustrated fragmentarily a fuel tank 10 having theusual filler tube 11 projecting upwardly from the tank 10. The fillertube 11 is provided with an inwardly extending annular ange 12 forming aseat for the closure mem ber 13 and terminating in a depending flange14. The closure member 13 comprises a cap member 14 having a bowed topportion 15, provided with a vent 16 and a peripherally extendingoutwardly rolled bead l7 terminating in an annular ange 18 arranged, inthe closed position of the closure member, to surround the filler tube10. Positioned within the cap member 14' isa ring 19 having theperipheral portions thereof secured within the bead 17. As shown, thering 19 is formed witha segmental offset portion 20 following the eneralcontour of the bowed portion 15 of t e cap and projecting beyond thevent 16. The arran ement being to revent the liquid containe in the fueltank rom escaping out of the vent without effecting the passage of airtherethrough. The ring 19 is further provided with the diametricallyopposite projections 21 and 22 arranged to extend through suitable slots23-and 24 respectively formed in the flanges 12 and 14 upon the fillertube 10. The ring 19 together with the segmental portion 20 andprojections 21 and 22 is stamped from a single sheet of metal. Theprojection 21 extends inwardly and downwardly from the ring 19 and issubstantially U-shaped having the outwardly extending leg 25 thereofnormally engaging the lower edge portion 26 of the flange 14:. Theprojection 22 on the other hand is also provided with an outwardlyopening U-shaped portion 27, the lower leg- 28 thereof normally engag- 9ing the lower edge 29 of the flange 14 and terminating in a dependingportion 30 having a lateral'T-shaped portion 31 engageable with theflanges 12 and 14 to accomplish the hinge connection between the closureand container and to normally retain the former upon the latter when theclosure is in the position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing.

In order to sub ect the the gasket 32 carried by the closure member to asealing pressure upon the flange 12 of the filler tube the diametricallyopposite edges 26 and 29 of the depending flange 14 are inclined in adirection from the slot 24 to the slot 23. The arrangement being thatwhen the closure is in the position illustrated in Figure 3 wherein theU-shaped portions of the projections 21 and 22 are disposed within theslots 23 and 24 respectively and the legs 25 and 28 of the U-shapedportions are in alignment with the inclined edges 26 and 29 respectivelyof the flange 14, the closure may be rotated in a clockwise direction toengage the said legs 25 and 28 withthe inclined edges 26 and 29, andowing to the inclination of these edges as heretofore pointed out, thegasket 32 will be compressed between the ring 19 of the 010- sure andthe flange 12 of the ring. Rotation of the closure member in theopposite direction and accidental disengagement of the closure with thecontainer is prevented by means of the extension 33 formed on the flange14. As shown, this extension is spaced below the slot 24 and projectsacross the same adjacent the edge 29 of the flange 14 and is spaced asufficient distance below this edge to permit the necessary manipulationof the closure to detach the latter from the container. In other words,the dimension of the space between the upper edge of the extension 33and'the lower edge 29 of the flange 14 is substantially equal to thewidth of the lateral projections 34 and 35 of the T-shaped member 31 sothat when it is desired to detach the closure member 13 from thecontainer a slight twisting effort is applied to the closure permittingthe projection 35 of the T-shaped portion to pass through the spaceaforesaid.

Assuming now that the closure is in sealing engagement with the fillerneck 11 and it is desired to gain access to the container, the closuremember is merely rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the baseof the U-shaped portion 27 engages the edge 37 of the flange 14. Theclosure member is then swung back as shown in Figure l, the U- shapedportion 27 together with the depending portion 22 passing upwardlythrough the slot 24 and the projections 34 and 35 of the T-shaped memberengaging the inner surfaces of the flanges 12 and 14 adjacent the slot24. Thus from the foregoing it will be apparent that a dual function maybe attributed to the projection 22 as the latterin addition to hingedlyconnecting the closure to the container, cooperates with the projection21 to subject the closure to sealing pressureupon the container.

The modified form of the invention illustrated in figures 4 and 5 issubstantially the same in construction and operation as the abovedescribed form. The only material difference between the two illustratedforms is that in the latter construction the extension 36 upon theflange 14 extends into close proximity to the lower edge 29 of flange14. In other words, the space 37 between the lower edge 29 of the flange14 and the upper edge of the extension is normally substan tially lessthan the width of the lateral projections 34 and 35 of the T-shapedportion 31. The extension 36, however, is sufliciently resilient topermit a forced passage of the projections 34 and 35. With this latterconstruction when it is desired to detach the 010- sure from thecontainer, the extension 36 is merely flexed downwardly by forcing theT-shaped portion through the space 37. \Vith such an arrangementaccidental disengagement of the closure with the container is prevented.

The herein described arrangement renders possible the production of acommercially satisfactory closure member that is simple and economicalin construction and one that is efficient in operation owing to thenovel quick detachable hinge connection between the closure andcontainer.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination, a container, aclosure for the container having a vent therein, a ring having theperipheral portions thereof secured to the closure and having a pair ofoppositely disposed projections extending downwardly from the inner edgethereof adapted to cooperate with the container upon rotation of theclosure in one direction to subject the latter to a sealing pressureupon the former, and an extension upon the inner edge of the said ringdisposed between the projections-aforesaid and adapted to extend beyondthe said vent in spaced relation thereto, the said extensionconstituting a battle for preventing fluid in the container fromescaping through the said vent.

2.In combination, a container, a closure for said container, a ringhaving the peripheral portions thereof secured to the top of saidclosure, and a projection extending downwardly from the inner edge ofsaid ring adapted to cooperate with the container in one rotativcposition of the closure to subject the latter to a sealing pressure uponthe former and in another rotative position of the closure to establisha hinge connection between the closure and container.

3. In combination, a container, a closure for said container. a. ringhaving the peripheral portions thereof secured to the top of saidclosure, and a projection formed integral with and extending downwardlyfrom the inner edge of the ring, the said projection adapted todetachably engage the said container and cooperate-thcrewith in onerotative position of the closure tosubjoct the latter to 1 a sealingpressure upon the container and in another rotative position of theclosure to establish a detachable hinge connection between the closureand container.

4. In combination, a container, a closure p the said air vent andanother normally estabcooperate with the container in one rotativeposition of the closure to subject the latter to a sealing pressureuponthe former and in another rotative position of the closure toestablish a hinge function between the closure and container. v

5. In combination, a container, a closure for said container, a ringhaving the peripheral portions thereof secured to the top of saidclosure, and a projection formed integral with and extending downwardlyfrom the inner edge of the ring, the said projection having a portionintermediate the ends there-' of adapted to cooperate with the containerin one rotative position of the closure to subject the latter to asealing pressure upon the con tainer and having another portion adaptedto cooperate with the container in another rotative position of theclosure to effect a hinge connection between the closure and container;

6. In combination, a container, a closure for said container having anair vent therein, and a member carried by the said closure having aplurality of integral projections, one of said projections constitutinga bafilefor said air vent and another of said projections normallyestablishing a connection between the closure and container. j

7. In combination, a container, a closure for saidcontainer having anair vent therein and a ring secured at the periphery thereof to saidclosure, said ring having a series of projections formed integral withthe inner edge thereof, one of which constituting a baflie for lishing aconnection between the closure and container. v

8. In combination, a container, a closure for said container havinga capportion provided with a vent, a ring having the peripheral portionsthereof secured to the cap portion and having a segmental portionextending inwardly beyond the vent aforesaid and following but spacedfrom the top portion of the cap to prevent liquid in the container fromescaping through the vent without affecting the passage of airtherethrough.

9. In combination, a container,v and a closure therefor, of a separableconnection between said parts including a hinge element movable in thearc of a circle within said container but removable at will therefrom,and

means associated with said container c0n-' stituting aguard for saidhinge element to prevent accidental removal thereof when functioning asa hinge but permitting the removal of said hinge element as aforesaidwhen the said element is moved in the arc of a circle as described.

10. In combination, a container having a seat for a closure, a dependingflange carried by said seat and having a slot, and a part bridging saidslot fixed at one end to said flange and spaced relative thereto at'itsopposite end, a closure for said container normally on said seat, and aseparable connection .between said closure and container including ahinge part rigid with the closure but receivable in the slot and movablebetween said part and flange aforesaid.

11. In combination, a container having an inwardly extendingannular'flange constituting a seat for a closure member, and provided atthe inner edge of said flange with a depending flange, the lower edge ofsaid depending flange being provided at substantially diametricallyopposite points thereof with in- "clined edges, said annular anddepending flanges being provided with slots at substantiallydiametrically opposite points between the inclined edges aforesaid, aclosure on said seat having a top provided with an air vent, and aconnection between said closure and container including a rin secured inthe closure, projections upon said closure at diametrically oppositesides thereof engageable with said inclined. edges to hold the closureon the seat and receivable in the slots to permit the closure to beunseated, one of said projections having a lateral extension engageablewith said seat and establishing a hinge connection with said container,and an arm on said depending flange serving as a guard for the lastmentioned projection when said hinge connection is established toprevent accidental disengagement thereof from the container. 4

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CECIL R. CRARY.

